Hi guys!
I am Rich Dietz a member of the American Cichlid Association!
I am currently contacting all clubs across America to get involved with the ACA!
Ted Judy is the Club Liaison, however I am acting as the Forum Liaison between the ACA and all clubs!

My goal is to interact all club info between the ACA and the OCA via the forum!
Ted will still handle all the Club Liaison program stuff, I just want to handle club news!

This news will be updated Monthly at this section of the ACA forum and here for the OCA!http://acaforum.com/index.php?showforum=67
This is a public forum and anyone who visits the ACA website will be able to see the OCA monthly update!
I will also be updating the Calendar at the ACA of OCA meetings and events!

My goal is to increase the amount of info exchanged. As of right now, I am unaware of OCA happenings as an ACA member. I want to change that desperately! I want all ACA members to know when/where/time of meetings, any events, any updates on breeding awards, any speakers, etc! This will help to educate ACA members about the OCA and in return when I post ACA news it will help OCA members to understand more about the ACA!

Current ACA news of interest is the Convention! Whoo HOOO!
And the forum is being updated! You will see a new look there as we consolidate and organize the website!

I especially look forward to working with Dan Woodland!
I will be checking each month for your updates! It will be much better to do this in a thread to help as reminder to OCA'ers what's new each month, and for me to quickly make contact with the many, many clubs I am attempting this program with!

I really believe that working together will forge a strong bond with the OCA and the ACA memberships! I am really excited about how this continues throughout the year!

That was a very nice gesture, Rich. You are doing great things for the hobby. I edited your History of ACA article, and I must say that the hobby is strong because of people like you. Your passion and dedication is appreciated! See you in Cinci.

Every American Cichlid Association member contributes to the hobby at large by supporting the ACA with their membership!
The ACA provides science with the Guy Jordan Fund to help research with cichlids!
The ACA provides real efforts in conservation through the Paul V. Loiselle Fund.
The ACA CARES program offers members the ability to assist in the Species Maintenance of Threatened and Endangered Species. This interactive program offers recognition for members efforts in preserving some of the last few species of endangered cichlids! It is also associated with Aquahavens! This program helps local schools to set up an aquarium with CARES species so children can get involved with cichlid conservation!
The ACA offers the Speaker Program for your local club through the Club Liaison Program!
There is the 6 issues a year of the Buntbarsche Bulletin! A great magazine journal of the ACA!
There is access to the ACA "Members Only" section of their forum.

IMO, every person passionate about cichlids should consider participation in the ACA to support the above Funds and to help build a strong national organization with strong, long lasting relationships with local clubs! As with all things in life what you get from something is the sum result of what you put into it! By participating you are supporting the ACA which in turn supports the hobby.

There is also access to the largest cichlid database of articles archived here(but you have to be an ACA member to view them)....http://www.cichlid.org/BB.html

There is a rich history associated with the ACA, and I believe that once a member understands what is available to them, who and what the ACA has been since its inception, and how members can continue this great tradition of supporting the hobby that they will be proud to be a member of the ACA!